The present invention relates to a license plate holder for a motor vehicle for holding a vehicle license plate on the vehicle, and also to a vehicle equipped with such a license plate holder.
In most countries, motor vehicles require permissions or licensing in order to being operated in highway or street traffic. For this purpose, the vehicle receives a vehicle license plate which is also called a number plate. For mounting the vehicle license plate, the vehicles are therefore equipped with at least one license plate area in which the respective vehicle license plate can be fastened to the vehicle. In principle, it is conceivable to fasten the respective vehicle license plate directly to the vehicle. However, in the case of modern vehicles, the use of a license plate holder of the initially mentioned type is customary. This type of license plate holder is fastened to the vehicle in the license plate area. The respective vehicle license plate is then fastened to this license plate holder and is therefore no longer directly fastened to the vehicle but only indirectly by way of the license plate holder.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,685,188 shows a vehicle license plate is known which is equipped with lockable fastening devices. By way of these fastening devices, the vehicle license plate can be fastened directly to the vehicle. The fastening devices are designed in the manner of closing cylinders which can be changed by a key between a locked position and on open position. In a first embodiment, pins are forced radially toward the outside in the locked position, whereby the latter reach behind a wall section of the vehicle. In the open position, these pins are radially adjusted so far toward the inside that the respective closing cylinder can be pulled out of the above-mentioned wall section. In a second embodiment, the closing cylinder is equipped with a radially projecting attachment which reaches behind a wall section of the vehicle in the locked position and, in the open position, is aligned with a slot which is arranged in the wall section and is shaped complementary to the attachment. Correspondingly, the closing cylinder can be pulled out of the above-mentioned wall in the open position. For implementing such a detachable fastening of the vehicle license plate on the vehicle, the vehicle is equipped with corresponding closing cylinder receiving devices in the license plate area, which closing cylinder receiving devices are visible when the vehicle license plate is removed.
The laws concerning the identification of vehicles may differ from one country to another. For example, different sizes of license plates may be required. Furthermore, the stipulated positioning of the respective license plate area on the vehicle may differ. The number of vehicle license plates to be mounted on the vehicle may also vary. In many countries, it is compulsory, for example, to mount one vehicle license plate respectively on the vehicle in the front as well as in the rear. Simultaneously, there are countries in which the vehicle does not have to have a vehicle license plate in the front. A license plate area, which is recognizable as such in countries in which it is not required, may impair the aesthetic impression of the vehicle.
The present invention addresses the problem of indicating an advantageous method of mounting vehicle license plates on the vehicle to simplify particularly a subsequent mounting of the license plate holder on the vehicle.
The present invention is based on the general recognition of equipping the license plate holder with at least one fastening device which, for fastening a carrier plate provided for mounting the vehicle license plate in the license plate area on the vehicle, has a securing part which is rotatably disposed on a base part of the fastening device and, in a securing position, reaches behind a holding contour fixed to the vehicle. In a starting position of the securing part, it is freed from the holding contour and is aligned with an opening, through which the securing part can be positioned relative to the holding contour. The license plate holder can thereby be subsequently mounted on the vehicle in a particularly simple manner. In this case, particularly vehicle-fixed areas which are situated on the vehicle anyhow, can be used as the holding contour. The vehicle-side expenditures for the implementation of a fastening possibility for the vehicle license plate by the license plate holder are therefore minimal. In addition, in the case of such an embodiment, the license plate area of the vehicle cannot be recognized as such when the license plate holder is absent.
According to an advantageous embodiment, the securing part can be fixed in its securing position by a screw on the base part in an axial manner with respect to the axis of rotation. The respective fastening device therefore comprises, in addition to the base part which is mounted on the carrier plate and the securing part, a third part, specifically the screw by way of which the two other parts are axially fastened to one another. The fastening device can thereby be implemented in an extremely cost-effective manner.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.